BY PAUL AWORTWI-MENSAH

The Ghanaian Catholic Community in Worcester, Massachusetts, will hold a special watch night on December 31, 2009 to usher in the New Year 2010. The celebration which will take place at the St. Joan of Arc Catholic Church, 570 Lincoln Street in Worcester at 8:00pm will include songs of praise and worship, prayer session, Rosary Prayers, testimonies, intercessory prayers and Holy Mass.

Throwing more light on the celebration, the spokesperson for the Liturgical Committee, Anthony Owusu-Boateng said the community will use the occasion to offer prayers and sing praises to God for his bounteous mercies and love towards humanity and all creation.

Speaking at a general meeting organized by the Ghanaian Catholic Community, Owusu-Boateng, who is also the Catechist, bemoaned the indiscipline that has engulfed the Ghanaian society.

He said indiscipline was at the height of almost all activities to the detriment of society to the extent that now there is no difference between a Christian and an unbeliever.

"Both Christians and unbelievers behave the same way within our communities that it has become difficult for one to tell the difference between these two groups," he said.

He reminded Christians that the Bible admonished them to be examples onto the unbelievers through their acts. "Through their acts you may know them," he quoted the Bible as saying.

Owusu-Boateng appealed to Christian leaders to minimize the prosperity messages and focus on the teaching of disciplinary way of living as a way to change societal behaviors.

"We should teach more about love, forgiveness, good neighborliness and good morals among other Christian virtues," he said. "We need to resolve that societal discipline would start with us as Christians so that we in turn would be able to teach our children and others to make our beloved country a better place to be," he said.

Owusu-Boateng used the occasion to invite all Catholics in the Worcester County to join the Community in this celebration as well as its regular Sunday services and other religions activities.

Written By: Paul Awortwi-Mensah, Worcester, Massachusetts